This invention relates to a fire protection partition wall which includes a supporting frame completely embedding the periphery of a fire protection glass plane, the supporting frame being adapted for installation between construction parts of a framework or a foundation, the glass pane being provided along its periphery with fire protection insulation, and the junctions between the glass pane and the supporting frame being sealed by a sealing mass.
Dividing partitions of this kind are installed as part of fire deflecting measures in all places of a building where, for safety reasons, the structure is divided into individual fire protection sections in such a manner that the visibility between the sections be preserved without substantial obstacles. Accordingly, an essential part of such fire protection dividing partitions are the fire protection glass panes which, depending on the desired time factor of their fire resistance, consist of several silicate glass panes between which fire protection layers are disposed. In the case of fire, the outermost glass panes, which face the fire, break first. Thereupon the laminated fire protection layers start foaming and withdraw heat in the process. However, the foaming takes place only then when the protection layer attains a certain temperature. As a consequence, the foaming process is initiated only after direct exposure to the source of heat, and the sources of fire can be at least partially observed through the remaining transparent fire protection glass panes.
Conventional supporting frames embodying the circumferential parts of a fire protection glass include angular sections formed of steel sheets between which the periphery of the fire protection glass panes is interposed and resistant insulation is clamped. The steel sheet profiles are connected one to another, and their outer surfaces are lined either by a blend of hard wood or by a blend of other fire-resistant materials. The fire protection glass panes framed in this manner are integrated into complete fire-obstructing partitions.
However, in standard fire protection dividing walls of light construction (no concrete or the like), the aforedescribed supporting frames can be superposed one on the other only in the case where the completed partition does not exceed the standard height of a room in the building, and also when the overall area of glass panes is relatively small. Specifically, the standard height of a glass pane corresponds for example to a third of the standard height of a room.
As a consequence, in conventional dividing walls it is possible to employ in respective ranges the protection glass pane in the form of a window. The optical transparency of such window-like partitions is limited, and the desired visibility through large areas of the fire protection sections of the building is not obtained.